Store-service apparatus



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. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 312,091. Patented Feb. 10, 1885.

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M. CLARK 8v J. T. COWLEY. STORE SERVICE APPARATUS. No. 312,091. Patented Feb. 10, 1885.

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M. CLARK 8; J. T. COWLEY.

STORE'SERVIOE APPARATUS.

No. 312,091. Patented Feb. 10, 1885.

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MILTON CLARK, OF NElV YORK, N. Y., AND JAMES T., OOWVLEY, OF BALTI- MORE, MARYLAND.

STORE-SERVICE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 312,091, dated February 10, 1885.

Application filed January 10, 1835.

To a'ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MIL'ron CLARK, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, and JAMES T. COWLEY,

of Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore and .State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Store-Service Systems; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

Our invention relates to cash and parcel carrying systems for stores; and it consists,broadly, in a single forwarding-track for all the stations of each counter, individual return tracks or ways inclined in direction opposite to that of the forwardingtrack, means or devices for elevating the car above and to aposition at an incline with the forwarding-track for automatically giving to said car an impetus and delivering it upon said forwarding track, mechanism'for automatically returning such delivering devices to their primitive position, wire-tighteners for taking up the slack in the tracks or ways, and in such other details as will hereinafter be distinctly described.

Referring to the annexed sheets of drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents in side elevation a system constructed and arranged in accordance wit-h our invention. Fig. 2, Sheet 2, is a plan view thereof. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are views in enlarged detail, respectively, of the elevating and delivering devices and the ti glitironing devices.

A single forwarding-track is employed for each counter, the same being made to take in all the stations of the respective counter to which it belongs. This forwarding-track, being secured at the point farthest from the cashiers desk, is inclined in the direction of such desk at a degree sufficient to cause the car, when delivered thereto, to descend by gravity. The manner of supporting this forwardingtrack is by rods depending from the ceiling at each station of the counter to which said track belongs.

(No model.)

] For the return oftlle carto the clerk after having been forwarded to the cashier, we employ separate and individual tracks or ways inclined in opposite direction to the forwardingtrack. The terminals of these tracks are se- 5 5 cured to the same depending supports to which the forwarding-track is secured, these supports being sufficiently far away from the heads of the clerks, and the cars being caused to descend by the devices hereinafter described.

Reference being had to the several parts by letter, A represents the cashiers desk, and B the counters, having one or more stations.

0 represents the main forwarding-track,that is suspended at one end from one of the supports a, depending from the ceiling, and is inclined toward the cashiers desk, where its other end is secured to a support, a, above his head, the said track, however, being supported by suitable attachments to each of the rods a which are in its path.

D represents the tracks or ways for the return of the car to the clerk,which are inclined in direction opposite to the forwarding-track, and are secured by their terminals to the supports a at the clerks ends and a support, a, above the head of the cashier.

On the supports a, above the forwardingtrack, at gradually-increasing height proportional to the difference in the incline of such track as it recedes from the cashiers desk, are located the devices we employ on which to place the car to elevate it above the forwarding-track automatically, giving it an initial impetus, by which it operates the device for delivering it upon the track, whence it is carried forward to the cashier. The device consists of a straight bar, I), having end portions, 1), by which it is made to set out somewhat from the line of the forwardingtrack, and at its forward end is provided with a hinged jointed extension, I), that comes over or is situated perfectly over and in line with said forwarding-track. Immediately under the forwarding end or portion of this ex- 9 5 tension 1) is a spring, b, for restoring it to position after it has beenthrown downward or depressed by the car which is made to descend upon it. To the rearward portion ofthe hinged extension is attached one end of a cord or other flexible media, 0, which is passed upwardly over a pulley, 01, having its bearing in a small upright or standard, 62, extending upwardly from the bar b at its rear end, as shown. These bars can be turned upon the supports a in any direction, but when adjusted to the position or direc'iions desired are secured against movement. The free end of a cord, 0, hangs down to within reach of the operator, and is provided with a weighted handle, as shown. When the clerk desires to forward a car, he elevates the end of cord 0 to allow its bight to descend, whereupon he places the car on the cord, then elevates it by pulling the cord downwardly. This tightens the cord and gives to its portion between the pulley d and the extension b an incline,

causing the car to run down upon the jointed arm or extension, depressing it by its weight to rest upon the track, and the said car is thus transferred or delivered upon the way. As soon as the car is delivered the spring 11 restores the hinged arm to its former position.

The bars b may be clamped either at their end to the support a, (see Fig. 3,) or at their middle portion, (see Fig. 1,) this latter manner of attachment being that preferred by us, as a better and more equal balancing of parts is gained thereby. These elevating and delivering devices are arranged above the forwarding-track sufficiently high to allow the passage thereunder of the car.

At the clerks end of the return tracks or ways D we have arranged flexible devices, onto which the car runs and is lowered to within convenient reach of the operator, these devices not being claimed herein, except in combination with others serving to comprise the present complete system, they being the broad subject-matter of another application filed by us. They consist of a support or bar similar to the bar I), a cord, 6, kept taut by a counter-weight, and when the car descends the track it depresses the cord and sinks to within reach of the clerk.

At the cashier s end the tracks or ways are secured to tightening devices, which consist of clamp E, secured to the rod a, a screwthreaded arm, 9, hinged thereto, as at g, and an angle-arm, h, which is borne on the end of the arm and itself bears a pulley, 73, around which the track is passed, thus avoiding sharp bending and consequent rupture, and is then secured by twisting, as shown.- of the arm on the bolt is a nut, Z Z, the operation of taking up slack in the track being by moving the nuts on the rod g, which thereby carries with them the angle-arm. By virtue of the joint the tightener can be turned in either direction in which it is desired to extend the track.

At each side scription; and we do not desire to be understood as limiting ourselves to the particular devices herein shown for which we have described certain constructions and arrangements as very material. Departures can be made therefrom which would come under the scope of our invention, it being our object and intention to claim, broadly, the invention herein set forth.

The general subject-matter of receiving the conveyer from a track and restoring it to the same track from which it was received is not claimed herein, broadly, as that forms the subject of an application now pending.

' Having described our invention, what we claim is- 1.. A store-service system consisting of a single forwarding-track for all the stations of a counter and individual return-tracks for each counter or station, substantially as described.

2. In a store-service system, the combination of a single forwarding-track for all the stations of a counter, supported at each station and inclining toward the cashiers desk, separate and individual return-tracks inclined oppositely to the forwarding-track, and a car adapted to travel such tracks, substantially as described.

3. In a store-service system, the combination, with a main forwarding-track, of suitable means whereby the car is elevated above the track, given an initial impetus, and automatically transferred or delivered upon the track, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a main forwardingtrack inclined toward the cashier, and individual rcturn'tracks inclined oppositely thereto, suitable means whereby the car is elevated above the forwarding'track and automatically delivered upon it, and also means at the end of the return-tracks whereby the car is automatically lowered to within reach of the operator, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a single inclined forwarding-track for all the stations of a counter, supports at each station to which it is attached, and automatic devices located, on said supports above the track for elevating the car, giving it an initial impetus, and delivering it upon the track, substantially as described.

6. The combination of the inclined forwarding-track, individual oppositely-inclined return-tracks, depending supports to which they are all attached, the elevating and delivering devices clamped to said supports, and consisting of the bar I), hinged jointed extension 1), spring 21", cord 0, and pulley d, and the receiving devices for the car at the end of the return-tracks, all substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the forwardingtrack and supports a, of the bar b, hinged jointed extension b, spring bearing against said extension, cord 0, and pulley d, all substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the tracks or ways of a store-service, of a supporting-bar, the

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as 10 our own we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

MILTON CLARK. JAS, T. COWLEY.

Witnesses:

THos. KELL BRADFORD, HARRIS J. CHILTON. 

